How to stake tomato plants?
Plan your tomato supports when you set out the plants. Choose according to the variety’s growth habit, available space and growing location. Check local temperatures and frost risk rather than relying on a traditional calendar date.
Planting your tomato plants in the ground
Choose a sunny position and harden plants off before moving them outdoors in suitably warm conditions. Follow spacing appropriate to the variety and training method. Enriched soil does not automatically need more compost or manure. Rotation helps manage some soil-borne problems, but cannot by itself prevent late blight, which can also arrive through airborne spores.
Staking: choose a suitable support
There is a wide choice of stakes for tomatoes. And it is important to choose it carefully otherwise you risk seeing your plants fall and your fruits rot in contact with the earth. It is preferable to put the stake when planting the plant and not afterwards, this will avoid damaging the roots when the plant is well developed.
A cord attached to the greenhouse
In a greenhouse, attach strong string to a structure that can carry the plant and its fruit. Guide the main stem along it as it grows. Leave slack at the base and check ties regularly so they do not cut into a thickening stem.
Spiral stakes
We have all found spiral-shaped stakes in stores. Why do they have this shape? Quite simply because you can wrap the tomato plants around this stake.
Alternative methods
If you do not want or cannot afford to buy stakes in stores, you can use acacia stakes like in vines or large pieces of bamboo. The important thing is that the stake is strong enough to be able to support the weight of the plant and its fruits.
You can also place two to three stakes around the same plant. This will allow you to have several supports to hold the branches and will ensure that your plant takes advantage of the light. To attach your plant to the stake, take raffia or any biodegradable tie. Be careful not to tighten the tie too much to avoid injuring the plant when it grows.
Finally, some surround the tomato plants with flexible fence-type mesh. This works well if you are not a fan of the . The tomato plant bushes inside this small structure.
Staking is not automatic
Support requirements depend on growth habit. Tall indeterminate tomatoes need firm support. Some compact determinate or trailing varieties can grow without a tall stake, or work better in a small cage. Cherry describes the fruit, not the growth habit: many cherry tomatoes are vigorous plants that need support. Check your variety and keep fruit away from the soil where practical.
